analyticon instruments

Since 2000, analyticon instruments, part of the French Groupe Physitek, has been pursuing the vision of the "laboratory in your hand", made possible by portable analysis devices.

The new mobile X-ray fluorescence spectrometer is suitable for analyzing all metals such as stainless steel, aluminium, nickel and copper in harsh industrial environments. In metal recycling, for example, it supports the sorting of metals and provides rapid alloy analysis. It is also used in incoming goods inspection to verify metals and alloys or in production to quickly check materials.  
analyticon's strategic market orientation was and is not only to convince its customers when they purchase the device, but also to win them over with the high quality of its services and to continue to support them after the purchase. 

Innovative device generation

For the provider of innovative analysis devices, maximum precision also applies to customer service. In addition to the technical innovation of FEnX-T, analyticon therefore focuses not only on marketing the device, but also on the option of being able to flexibly adapt the device to individual customer requirements at any time. At the same time, FEnX-T should be as easy and convenient to use as possible. The aim is to make individual configuration options available via FEnX-T, such as the definition of workflows or user profiles, thereby simplifying operational work for customers. 

Interaction of hardware and software

Parallel to the hardware development, which took place in France, AOE was commissioned to create a proof of concept for the associated software application. This resulted in a completely new approach that was unprecedented in this market, namely to develop the software embedded and web-based. Right from the start, agility played a key role as a value-adding approach for the product development of FEnX-T and was not limited to the design of the software. The development team around AOE also kept an eye on the hardware with a focus on functionality and the interaction with the software in an advisory capacity.

Single page application

In addition to the operating system configuration and the basic service setup, the project also included the development of the backend system and the frontend layer using a SPA (Single Page Application) approach, as well as the integration of the measurement algorithm and the hardware provided by analyticon and third-party providers. FEnX-T itself runs the open source operating system Linux. The software was developed using Go, a compilable open source programming language from Google. Right from the start, emphasis was placed on multilingualism to market the system across Europe and worldwide, started with the languages German, English, French and Italian.

Precise orchestration

The complexity of the software development lay primarily in the precise orchestration of the numerous hardware components contained in FEnX-T, such as X-ray tubes and detectors or heat sensors. In order to obtain correct measurement results, these must be controlled individually and the sequence must be exactly right. Due to the conciseness and reliability of Go, connected to a web server, this could be implemented precisely. The delivered web app is shown both on the integrated display of FEnX-T and, if accessed via a local network, on large screens and resembles the modern and user-friendly display of a normal website. You can connect to FEnX-T via any browser, regardless of the platform.

Once again, the development of a high-performance frontend using embedded web technology should be emphasized. This is a novelty in the handheld power market and therefore a clear USP for analyticon. The innovative software in FEnX-T allows users to predefine workflows and to adapt the analysis range, measurement times and device settings precisely to the individual tasks and requirements or to allow the analyzer to select the correct parameters itself.

In terms of design and handling, the new FEnX-T generation of devices does full justice to analyticon's pronounced service philosophy and has numerous innovative features that have not been available on the market to date. The clear and self-explanatory operation allows customers to use it efficiently with minimal training. Customer-specific adjustments can be made flexibly and end customers can create their own individual scan profiles. A dynamic measurement mode ensures precise results without complicated presettings. Thanks to the implementation via web technology, FEnX-T can be controlled and operated remotely via separate (large) screens, regardless of the platform, and thus benefits from an optimized UX in contrast to the small touch display of the measuring device. The next step is to develop further device variants with different measuring programs, which will then complete the FEnX device family. In the future, cloud services may also be connected, which could further improve the quality of FEnX-T and analyticon's services.

Unique Selling Proposition (USP) through new dynamic measurement mode

Maximum user-friendliness for customers

Flexible customization options tailored to individual customer needs